RDI – Newshttps://www.brandonu.ca/news
Brandon UniversityThu, 17 Jan 2019 22:39:32 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=5.0.3Brandon University report details Indigenous economic impact in Manitoba for the first timehttps://www.brandonu.ca/news/2019/01/10/brandon-university-report-details-indigenous-economic-impact-in-manitoba-for-the-first-time/
Thu, 10 Jan 2019 21:50:51 +0000https://www.brandonu.ca/news/?p=9497Indigenous people in Manitoba make strong contributions to the provincial economy, which have been detailed for the first time in a comprehensive report released today.

MKO Grand Chief Garrison Settee speaking at the release of the Indigenous Contributions to the Manitoba Economy report this morning at Madison Urban Reserve in Winnipeg.

Indigenous spending in Manitoba totaled $9.3 billion in the year 2016, the equivalent of contributing 3.9% to the provincial GDP — greater than oil and gas (including mining), food and accommodations, or manufacturing.

“That impressive number begins to show the scale of ongoing Indigenous impact here in Manitoba,” said Bill Ashton, director of Brandon University’s Rural Development Institute (RDI), which partnered with the Southern Chiefs’ Organization Inc. (SCO) and Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak Inc. (MKO) to produce the report.

The report provides a snapshot of Indigenous economic contributions for a single year as well as looking at possibilities to unlock even more potential in the future.

“The data is clear, Indigenous economic impact has enormous growth potential,” Ashton said. “Indigenous populations are some of the fastest-growing in Manitoba, and Indigenous economic impact will grow alongside it. Also, there is a lot of opportunity to increase economic development right now, both on-reserve and off-reserve, but also by expanding the opportunities provided by urban reserves.”

For the first time with this report, RDI gathered data and conducted research and analysis in accordance with the First Nations principles of Ownership, Control, Access and Possession.

]]>BU’s Rural Development Institute helping to attract soybean processing facility to Westmanhttps://www.brandonu.ca/news/2018/07/19/bus-rural-development-institute-helping-to-attract-soybean-processing-facility-to-westman/
Thu, 19 Jul 2018 15:31:07 +0000https://www.brandonu.ca/news/?p=9126The City of Brandon is working with the Rural Development Institute (RDI) at Brandon University (BU) to conduct two research projects: a Soybean Industry Supply Chain Assessment and a Regional Assessment of Community Information. Both projects will advance the efforts of the Westman Opportunities Leadership Group (WOLG) to attract a world-class soybean processing facility to Manitoba.

The Soybean Industry Supply Chain Assessment will compare the competitive advantages and disadvantages of locating a soybean processing facility in either Manitoba, Saskatchewan, or North Dakota. It will also describe the current soybean supply chain in Manitoba and the potential market for a full line of soybean products that would be generated by a soybean processing facility in the region.

“We need a better picture of the Manitoba supply chain, from the soybean producers—how many acres are cultivated and where, the yield, the quality—to the customers,” said Ray Redfern, Chair of WOLG.

Mikaël Akimowicz, project lead and post-doctoral agri-economist, explained, “The two main items a soybean processing facility produces are meal and soy oil. Soymeal is mainly used in animal feed. That means we need to understand the regional livestock market from Alberta to Manitoba to North Dakota. Soy oil is a major ingredient in almost all margarine, for one thing, and can be used to produce biodiesel. Who are the potential industry customers and where are they? What are the logistics for transporting product to them? How does Manitoba compare in this regard? These are but a few of the questions our research needs to answer.”

Ray Redfern is convinced that Manitoba is the perfect place for a new soybean plant: “Manitoba soybean production has boomed since 2011. Over 2.25M acres were planted in 2017—more than a five-fold increase in the last 8 years. As more and more producers convert their fields to soybean production, the need for a local market for their product becomes increasingly obvious.” Most soybeans go to the production of animal feed. The Manitoba hog and poultry industries are strong; producers are providing hogs for the Maple Leaf facility in Brandon and the Hylife facility in Neepawa. “The way things are now, regional hog producers are having to import significant amounts of soymeal. A local soybean processing facility is anticipated to reduce hog ration costs for producers and provide a local market for Manitoba soybean farmers,” explained Redfern.

The second RDI project, the Regional Assessment of Community Information, has delivered an Investment Readiness Community Assessment Tool to five Westman communities: Brandon, Carberry, Neepawa, Russell, and Virden. Economic development officers will complete reports based on this tool.

“The Regional Assessment project will enable the five partner communities to not only collectively define our ability to meet the site and operational requirements of a soybean processing facility but also highlight our regional and jurisdictional competitive advantages and possible development incentives,” said Sandy Trudel, Brandon’s Director of Economic Development. “Armed with this information we will be well-positioned to approach potential investors with a business case that points to Westman as the logical location for a new soybean processing facility,” she further noted.

“These two applied research projects demonstrate the value of utilizing Brandon University expertise. They also serve as a practical example of how Brandon University can contribute to a significant economic development initiative,” stated Scott Lamont, Vice-President of Financial Services and member of WOLG.
Funding for these RDI projects is provided by the Government of Canada’s Invest Canada – Community Initiatives (ICCI) program and the Westman Opportunities Leadership Group.

]]>Three winners in Rural by Design art contesthttps://www.brandonu.ca/news/2018/06/27/three-winners-in-rural-by-design-art-contest/
Wed, 27 Jun 2018 17:50:01 +0000https://www.brandonu.ca/news/?p=9108Brandon University’s Rural Development Institute (RDI) is pleased to announce the three winners of the Rural by Design Student Art Contest. The winners are Lindsay Michiels, a second-year student in Physical Education; Kira Toth, a second-year student in Psychiatric Nursing; and Liam Shamray, a first-year student in Business Administration.

This was the first year for RDI’s Rural by Design Student Art Contest, which covered the 2017–18 academic year. Using the theme of “Show us what rural means to you,” all BU students were invited to submit their original works. The contest was not limited to any specific medium and was open to photography, paintings, graphic design, digital illustrations, and more. Students also submitted short essays on their work and how it illustrates what rural means to them.

“This contest has reached students across campus and engaged them in thinking about the concept of ‘rural’ in a new and exciting way,” said Dr. Bill Ashton, Director of RDI. “Having winners from three different faculties shows how both art and rurality can reach across academic fields.”

This contest was a part of RDI’s community engagement activities to strengthen the Institute’s relationships with Brandon University students and faculty. RDI worked closely with the Visual & Aboriginal Art Department and the Brandon University Fine Arts Students Association (BUFASA) to develop the contest rules and parameters, as well as to help with advertising to students.

Winners were selected by a jury panel that featured a mix of Rural Development and Fine Arts expertise. The panel included Melanie Barnett, a Fine Arts student and 2017–18 Chair of BUFASA; Cathy Mattes, Associate Professor of Visual and Aboriginal Art and Gender and Women’s Studies; Vonique Mason-Edwards, a Masters of Rural Development student; and Ariel Bryant, the Rural Development Institute’s Engagement Liaison.

The contest was sponsored by local on-campus business Forbidden Flavors, who provided gift cards as part of the prize packages for the three winners.

The winning artwork and short essays are on display in the RDI office gallery, located in the lower concourse of the McMaster Building, Brandon University. Guests are welcome to walk through and view the artwork during office hours.

]]>Brandon University celebrates success as graduates receive degrees at Convocationhttps://www.brandonu.ca/news/2018/06/01/brandon-university-celebrates-success-as-graduates-receive-degrees-at-convocation/
Sat, 02 Jun 2018 01:25:37 +0000https://www.brandonu.ca/news/?p=9054With the symbolic shift of a tassel from one side of their mortarboards to the other, nearly 600 Brandon University students became Brandon University graduates, receiving their degrees at today’s Convocation ceremonies. It was Brandon University’s largest graduating class in six years.

The pair of ceremonies at BU’s Healthy Living Centre conferred degrees on 583 graduates. The morning ceremony included students from the Faculties of Science and Health Studies with the afternoon ceremony for students from the Faculty of Arts, Faculty of Education and School of Music.

Brandon University Interim President and Vice Chancellor Dr. Steven Robinson reminded graduating students that their diploma was also a letter of reference, representing their skills, knowledge and judgment.

“A degree is not a piece of paper, it is a type of measurement. Not of temperature, like the degrees on a thermometer, but a degree of membership in the Academy, that community of all universities and their members,” Dr. Robinson said, noting that some were being admitted to the degree of Bachelor, others to the degree of Master. “These are people whose minds have been cultivated in very particular ways: to ever seek new knowledge; to seek truth above all; and to share freely what you have learned. The world needs your good judgment.”

Rebecca Storey delivers her valedictory address at the Brandon University morning Convocation ceremony on June 1, 2018.

Morning valedictorian Rebecca Storey, who received a Bachelor of Science degree, spoke of fond and funny memories, and also gave thanks to the many people who supported her and her classmates during their studies.

“Many of us have one or two people whom we consider as mentors … a parent, a friend, a professor, a relative, or a close family friend. Some graduates probably have someone who in-stilled a good work ethic in us, even if that meant a bit of nagging,” she said. “But we thank them for this, because we know they have our best interests at heart. I imagine that plenty of us have special people in our lives to thank for their support through our academic journeys, people who have been there through our best and worst moments and never left our side.”

Valedictorian Abby Ziprick speaks during the Brandon University afternoon Convocation ceremony on Friday, June 1, 2018.

Afternoon valedictorian Abby Ziprick, who received a Bachelor of Music/Bachelor of Education concurrent degree, also spoke of the value of a positive community.

“A positive community encourages and motivates each other to succeed. Throughout my degree I have been blessed with professors, friends, and family members who have continually pushed me to strive for excellence and be the best version of myself,” she said. “Being a member of this positive community has also given me chance to encourage the people around me to go for the gold, and relish in new experiences and opportunities. Everyone has dreams, but not everyone has an outstanding support system like we do at BU that encourages us to make those dreams happen.”

The afternoon ceremony also included the conferral of an honorary Doctor of Literature degree on Dr. Linda Hutcheon, in recognition of her exceptional career as a writer, a critic and an educator.

“Together all of you here — this sea of blue, it’s wonderful — will touch many aspects of our interconnected lives,” Dr. Hutcheon told assembled graduates during her speech, adding that as students, they have already made a difference in the lives of their professors. “You have taught us. You have taught us to examine the promises of pundits and politicians with open eyes. Not with cynicism, that’s too easy, but with an understanding of whose future is at stake: yours. And yours is longer than ours.”

Several other honours were also presented during the day’s ceremonies, including Brandon University Senate and Alumni Association awards that recognize outstanding teaching and re-search at BU, Lifetime Achievement Awards, and the Distinguished Teacher Awards that are presented annually to teachers from elementary and high school programs.

Convocation celebrations continue tomorrow with the All Nations Pow Wow taking place on Saturday at the HLC. The Pow Wow will begin with a pipe ceremony at 10 a.m. outside the HLC. The event will include grand entries at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. as well as a ceremony to honour graduates at 3 p.m. More details are available at Events.BrandonU.ca.

]]>Rural Development Institute reports on dynamics of rural and northern Manitoba to Manitoba Electoral Divisions and Boundaries Commissionhttps://www.brandonu.ca/news/2018/04/19/rural-development-institute-reports-on-dynamics-of-rural-and-northern-manitoba-to-manitoba-electoral-divisions-and-boundaries-commission/
Thu, 19 Apr 2018 15:34:13 +0000https://www.brandonu.ca/news/?p=8903A report by the Rural Development Institute (RDI) at Brandon University (BU) is informing the work of the Manitoba Electoral Divisions Boundaries Commission.

As part of the Commission’s broad public consultation process, it contacted RDI to report on the state of rural and northern Manitoba. The report draws on RDI’s body of research to highlight significant issues, challenges and opportunities affecting population changes or trends in rural communities and regions of Manitoba.

“Setting the right electoral boundaries helps ensure Manitoba’s population is accurately reflected in electoral divisions, “said Richard Chartier, Chief Justice of Manitoba and Chair of the Commission. “Two of the factors we consider in achieving our goal of effective representation are special geographic conditions and projected population changes. The work of the Institute helps to inform our review of the boundaries and is a very helpful piece of information for the Commission.”

There is more to rural and northern Manitoba than population numbers. Statistics do not fully capture the sense of enterprise, fellowship, kinship, and the familial link through ownership and attachment to the land, that can energize and motivate residents to pull together when faced with hardship or disaster, or when undertaking a community project or establishing a business enterprise.

Ashton cautions that the report contains a only a sampling of topics that could be added.

“This report, in many ways bring together over 28 years of research and experiences at the Rural Development Institute,” said Demetres Tryphonopoulos, Dean of Arts at BU. “Such reports help to underscore how rural challenges and opportunities are interconnected and a more integrated approach is needed. This same message can be heard across many departments at Brandon University.”

The membership of the Manitoba Electoral Divisions Boundaries Commission includes BU Interim President and Vice-Chancellor Steve Robinson.

]]>Journal of Rural and Community Development releases new issuehttps://www.brandonu.ca/news/2018/02/22/journal-of-rural-and-community-development-releases-new-issue/
Thu, 22 Feb 2018 16:40:17 +0000https://www.brandonu.ca/news/?p=8729The Journal of Rural and Community Development (JRCD) is pleased to announce the release of Volume 13, Issue 1. This is an open-access, peer-reviewed publication that is available at: http://journals.brandonu.ca/jrcd/index

This edition includes five articles and three case studies, including looks at the lack of unionized workers in rural Alberta, ecotourism and sustainable rural development in Costa Rica, and forest-based businesses adjacent to public lands in the United States.

Please see the Archives to also access previous issues, including the recent special issue entitled “Communities and New Development Paths in the Sparsely Populated North.” This 14-article double issue was organized by Doris Carson, Patrick Brouder, and Suzanne la Barre. They have provided a guest editorial to introduce this special issue which is of vital importance to researchers in remote regions.

We would like to thank the Editorial Board, Editorial Assistants, Copy Editors, Reviewers, and Brandon University for the support and energy they bring to the JRCD. This support includes the efforts of IT services at Brandon University who assist the JRCD in administering the web platform.

The JRCD also gratefully acknowledges funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) through their ‘Aid to Scholarly Publications’ programme. We secured renewed SSHRC funding for 2015-18. A one-year extension, through to 2019, was recently granted as SSHRC evaluates this granting program. This funding is central to improving the review and publication process, marketing the JRCD, and ensuring an open access publication venue for rural and community development studies.

The JRCD is published by the Rural Development Institute (RDI) at Brandon University. RDI was established in 1989 as an academic research centre and a leading source of information on issues affecting rural communities in western Canada and elsewhere. For more information, please visit: https://www.brandonu.ca/rdi

]]>Soybean Processing – Building Opportunities Conference to be held at BUhttps://www.brandonu.ca/news/2017/10/27/soybean-processing-building-opportunities-conference-to-be-held-at-bu/
Fri, 27 Oct 2017 14:50:30 +0000https://www.brandonu.ca/news/?p=8547Brandon University (BU) and the Rural Development Institute (RDI) are pleased to be co-hosting a conference to discuss the attraction of a major soybean processing facility to Manitoba on Thursday, Nov. 16 from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

In the spring of 2017 BU partnered with the Westman Opportunities Leadership Group (WOLG) in its efforts to bring a soybean processing plant to Manitoba. With three million acres seeded to soybeans in Manitoba and Saskatchewan this year, there is a growing opportunity to attract a facility to this province.

“A facility of scale would process at least 2,500 tonnes of soybeans per day,” said Ray Redfern, Chair of WOLG. “Recent growth in planted acres should provide sufficient tonnage to support a plant of this scale and still serve established export markets. Our interest is to attract a facility to Manitoba instead of seeing it built in another jurisdiction.”

“One of Brandon University’s priorities is to act as a catalyst for economic and community growth in the region,” said Scott Lamont, BU’s Vice-President (Administration & Finance). “We can play a meaningful role in gathering knowledge and facilitating partnerships, and we are looking to the assembled experts to evaluate this opportunities and challenges of attracting a project of this scale. This conference will bring together business and civic leaders, farmers and government to understand the way forward and how to work together to attract private sector investment.”

The lunch keynote address will be provided by Maurice Bouvier, an Assistant Deputy Minister at Manitoba Agriculture. The morning discussion will focus on plant benefits, with Bob Stroup, Senior Consultant to the Plus Group of Cincinnati Ohio, providing perspective. An afternoon panel session with Soy Canada, the Keystone Agricultural Producers, Manitoba Pork Council and Manitoba Agriculture describing the potential impacts and challenges to be addressed will round out the day.

“We have already been in contact with many business and community organizations that would welcome and benefit from a project of this magnitude being located in the region” stated Dr. William Ashton, Director of RDI. “We are looking forward to cultivating and expanding our partnerships to generate and share knowledge that will lead to informed strategies and continued progress in Manitoba.”

Download BSAFE

BRANDON, Man. – Brandon University (BU) students, faculty and staff have a new safety tool, and they’re likely to carry it everywhere they go.

The University has launched BSAFE, an app available on Apple and Android platforms that provides members of the BU community, on campus and elsewhere, with safety aids and information that’s just a tap away. Users will be able to contact security and emergency services through the app, as well as find links to information on safety procedures, counselling supports and updates from the University.

The BSAFE app takes advantage of connected capabilities to also offer immediate info alerts from BU to all users. These push alerts can notify the BU community in case of power outages, severe weather warnings or other emergencies, providing up-to-date information directly to the user’s device.

“The BSAFE app makes several very important resources available at the touch of a phone or tablet screen,” said Gordon Neal, Director of Physical Plant, which oversees security at BU. “It is our responsibility to maintain a safe environment for our students, faculty and staff as well as to have resources in place that provide for their health and well-being. BSAFE gives us the opportunity to have all those resources accessible in one place.”

Available from the App Store and the Google Play Store, BSAFE was developed for Brandon University by Toronto-based AppArmor, which has produced safety apps for universities across North America. Its features include the innovative Friend Walk, which allows users to remotely chat with a friend who is also able to monitor their location in real-time on a map. Location data is only shared temporarily.

“The exciting part about Friend Walk is that it works anywhere you can get a signal, so any of our students in Brandon, Winnipeg or Dauphin could use it while they walk home from campus or work, or a faculty member could use it while attending a conference in an unfamiliar city,” Neal said.

“We all want to feel safe while at work or at school, and features like Friend Walk provide app users with the peace of mind that their friends are watching out for them.”

New students were introduced to the app as part of Orientation. The promotion of the app to students, faculty and staff will continue over the coming weeks as part of the University’s efforts to make all members of the BU community start the new academic year by feeling at home and comfortable in their surroundings.

As use of the app expands, Brandon University will look at adding new features beyond safety that will make BSAFE indispensable for everyone at BU.

“From information about food services to bus routes and parking restrictions, the possibilities are nearly endless,” Neal said. “We want everyone on campus to download BSAFE and to use it daily. The more people that are using the app on a regular basis, the more effective it will be in an emergency.”

]]>BU unveils new Discrimination and Harassment Prevention Policy and Procedureshttps://www.brandonu.ca/news/2017/08/23/bu-unveils-new-discrimination-and-harassment-prevention-policy-and-procedures/
Wed, 23 Aug 2017 14:33:19 +0000https://www.brandonu.ca/news/?p=8352BRANDON, Man. – New resources at Brandon University (BU) will help all faculty, staff and students address issues of discrimination and harassment in the work and learning environment, and differentiate these from interpersonal conflict.

A committee comprised of union, Brandon University Students’ Union, Student Services and Human Resources representatives worked together for well over a year on the new Discrimination and Harassment Prevention Policy and accompanying procedures. The result is a standalone policy and procedures which should make the process of addressing discrimination and harassment easier and more transparent. Wide community consultation will take place over the coming academic year in order to introduce the new policy and procedures, and to gather feedback for future refinement of the documents.

Brandon University introduced a suite of policies and procedures to address accessibility and accommodations as part of its response to the new Accessibility for Manitobans Act. These were passed by the Board on November 26, 2016. A standalone Sexualized Violence Policy was approved by the Board on March 25, 2017, and the Discrimination and Harassment Prevention Policy was approved on June 24, 2017.

Work is currently underway to create a standalone policy addressing workplace violence, the last piece of the old REP to be replaced.

Accompanying the new Discrimination and Harassment Prevention Policy and its procedures, are a guide for dealing with conflict, a flowchart to help clarify possible reactions and responses, and a fillable form which is required when filing a complaint.

With the creation of the position of Diversity and Human Rights Advisor and the new standalone policy and procedures, BU has a more robust mechanism for identifying conflict, discrimination and harassment and intervening early to resolve issues.

The coming year will be one of consultation with the university community about these processes, and they will be further refined in the spring of 2018. Public town halls and special focus groups will be scheduled for November 2017, and for March 2018. Specific dates will be posted on the Diversity and Human Rights web page before classes begin in September.

Please visit BrandonU.ca/Diversity to access the policy and accompanying documentation. If you wish to provide immediate feedback on the documents you can click on CONTRIBUTE YOUR THOUGHTS to generate an email to the Diversity and Human Rights Office. You do not have to provide your name or email address when providing feedback.

]]>Dennis County Development Partnership Join the Westman Opportunities Leadership Group to Attract World Class Soybean Processing Facility to Manitobahttps://www.brandonu.ca/news/2017/06/16/dennis-county-development-partnership-join-the-westman-opportunities-leadership-group-to-attract-world-class-soybean-processing-facility-to-manitoba/
Fri, 16 Jun 2017 14:37:18 +0000https://www.brandonu.ca/news/?p=8283The Westman Opportunities Leadership Group’s (WOLG) efforts to attract a world-class soybean processing plant to Manitoba gained more momentum with a funding commitment from the Dennis County Development Partnership (DCDP), a regional partnership that includes the RM of Wallace-Woodworth, the RM of Pipestone and the Town of Virden.

The DCDP was formed to investigate and attract development opportunities on a regional basis. “We are very pleased to see that the Dennis County Partnership has joined our initiative,” stated Ray Redfern, Chair of the Leadership Group. “Their financial support and participation on our Board adds significant weight and momentum to our efforts, and emphasizes the fact that we are working on behalf of a wide number of communities to attract a soybean facility to Manitoba.”

“The timing is right to look at processing soybeans here in Manitoba” stated Redfern. “Nearly three million acres of soybeans are expected to be planted across Manitoba and eastern Saskatchewan in 2017, a significant increase over 2016 levels.”

The benefits and economic synergies are significant. Soymeal is an important component of most hog rations, and the region produces many hogs for the Maple Leaf Foods and HyLife Foods facilities, with more growth anticipated.

“Today Manitoba imports significant amounts of soybean meal” stated Redfern. “A plant could reduce feed ration costs and boost the local hog industry. This is an added benefit to anticipated gains that farmers would receive from having a local market for their soybeans.”

“The Dennis County Development Partnership is looking forward to working with the Leadership Group to attract a global company to construct a soybean processing facility, and are pleased to provide financial support to help make this happen,” stated James Watt, the Partnership’s designate. “Real benefits will be seen with an investment of this scale. We see the opportunity that a soybean plant can bring, and want to ensure our region is well represented in the attraction process. The Leadership Group’s strategic approach to investment attraction makes sense and brings together the regions strengths, knowledge and passion, increasing the likelihood of success. There is a real opportunity to see a plant like this come to our area, and working through this process is the best way to make that happen.”

Beginning in the fall of 2016 the WOLG began assessing the soybean opportunity for Manitoba. Work confirmed the scope of the opportunity and is building a base of support throughout the Region.

“We have established an important long-term relationship with Brandon University to help deliver the project and bring their wide network of experts to the validation process. Discussions also continue with other regional governments to confirm their participation and support,” stated Redfern. “We will be formalizing discussions with the Province to do the same. We are a volunteer, grassroots organization, and are not looking to build a plant – we want to attract the right private sector investment to do that, based upon the economic merits of the industry and the Region.”